Packing retainer



Nov. 5, 1957 B. A. DIGGINS PACKING RETAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.7, 1955 A? f h/ IN VENTOR ATTORNEY Nov. 5, 1957 B. A. DIGGINS 2,812,223

PACKING RETAINER Filed Jan. 7, 1955 2 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR6.4R72/010416 m4. flaw/#3 ATTORNEY keeper and resulting in hot boxes.

United States Patent 2,812,223 Patented Nov. 5, 1957 nice PACKINGRETAINER Bartholomew A. Diggins, Kensington, Md., assignor to Stanley G.Bair, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 7, 1955, Serial No. 480,430

11 Claims. (Cl. 308-89) The present invention relates to packingretainers or keepers and more particularly to resilient wire packingkeepers.

In the ordinary waste packed railroad journal assembly, the waste tendsto become displaced due to operation and impact and displacement of thewaste is a common source of hot boxes. For many years efforts have beenmade to prevent displacement of the waste packing and numerous deviceshave been proposed to retain the waste in position. One class of wastekeepers or retainers is formed of rather heavy steel or brass wire andwhile these wire retainers are rather widely used, prior to the presentinvention such retainers have had certain inherent and well recognizeddeficiencies.

One form of wire retainer is constructed so that it bears resilientlyagainst the waste and because of the large forces tending to displacethe waste when the car is subjected to impact, the resilient force isfrequently inadequate to prevent waste displacement. Further, since theretainer is under compression, any displacement of the retainer itselfmay result in the retainer springing loose in the journal box.

Another common type .of retainer has four upright legs which engage thetop of the box in the four corners. While this retainer avoids some ofthe difliculties of the spring type retainer, it is almost impossible toremove the four-leg type of retainer without ruining it. The legs whichextend up to the front top corner of the box usually engage so snuglythat they can be removed only by bending or distorting them to such anextent that the retainer cannot be used again.

Both types of wire packing keeper of the prior art have utilized clipswhich carry most of the load or strain in the keeper and are subjectedto impact caused by relative movement of the journal, brass and box. Inservice the clips frequently fail after a relatively short period of usethereby destroying the packing retaining function of the In addition theclips utilized in many keepers of the prior art have been relativelycomplicated and the right and left hand clips have been different. Suchclips are relatively expensive to manufacture, do not eliminate theproblem of clip failure, and increase assembly costs.

According to the present invention there is provided a resilient packingkeeper having a three point upper engagement with the top of the journalbox. The retainer is held in position independently of the waste byresilient engagement with the bottom, the upper rear corners of the boxand with the opening in the wedge. The tendency of the waste to roll istransmitted to the top of the box and pressures against the retainer aretransmitted to the box. The keeper has overlapping portions so arrangedthat vertical stress applied to the keeper is carried by these portionsso that the clip merely holds the overlapped portions in position anddoes not receive the full applied force.

lfn another form of the present invention, clips are :17

eliminated entirely. The retainer bears resiliently against the bottomof the journal box and has a three-point upper suspension so that upwardforces are transmitted directly to the top of the box while the retaineris resiliently fixed in position at all times. The resilient forcesholding the retainer in position also urge the rear legs outwardlyagainst the side walls of the box and away from the journal.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a simpleand efiicient packing keeper which will maintain its position in arailway journal box during use while holding the packing in its properposition.

it is another object of the invention to provide a packing retainer forwaste-packed journal boxes which is held in position by resilientengagement with the journal box and wedge independently of the wastepacking.

it is another object of the invention to provide a packing keeper whichmay be removed and reinserted in a journal box without distortion ordamage.

it is another object of the present invention to provide a packingkeeper in which the clips bear only a relatively small portion of thestrain applied to the keeper.

it is still another object of the present invention to provide a simpleand efficient packing keeper utilizing relatively simple clips in such amanner as to materially lengthen the life of the clips and hence of thekeeper.

it is still another object of the present invention to provide a wirepacking keeper having top and bottom engagement at the forward end ofthe journal box and rear legs for engaging the upper rear corners of thebox and in which fiexure of the forward portion of the keeper urges theupper ends of the rear legs into firm engagement with the side Walls ofthe journal box.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a packingretainer in which no clips are required.

A further object is to provide a retainer for inserting lubricating padsinto a journal box and retaining the pads in position.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent uponreference to the following specification and claims and the appendeddrawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a journal box showing the improvedkeeper of the invention in position;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the keeper of the invention; I

Figure 3 is'a top view of the keeper of the invention;

Figure 4 is a vertical section of a journal box showing a modifiedretainer according to the invention in positron;

Figure 5 'is a front elevation vof the retainer shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the retainer shown in Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to Figures 1 and 4showing a retainer for inserting and holding a lubricating pad inposition.

Referring more particularly to the embodiment shown in Figuresl to 3 ofthe drawings, there isshown in Figure 1 a conventional railway journalbox according to the standards and specifications of the AmericanAssociation of Railroads. This journal box has a top 10, a bottom 12,side walls 14, and a hinged cover 16. The journal 18 extends into thebox through an opening 20 in the rear wall 22 of the box, and thejournal brass 24 rests on the journal 18. The wedge 26 is locatedbetween the brass and the top 10 of the box. .The rearwall 22 of the boxis provided with a slot'origroove 28 for receiving an oil seal or dustguard, not shown; Waste packing 30, located in the bottom of the box,engages the lower part of the journal 18 and oil in the bottom of thebox is carried up to the journal .18 through the waste by capillaryaction to 3 lubricate the journal 18. Adjacent the top of the box andabove the opening the rear wall 22 forms an inwardly facing shoulder 32which extends downward from the top 10 at the rear of the box and wedgestop lugs .34 project down from the top ofthe box 10 at the front nearthe upper end of the cover. The standard journal has a fillet 36 whichis usually located within the box closely adjacent the inner surface ofthe rear wall 22 and the outer end of the journal is provided with acollar 38. The dimensions of construction of this journal assemblyandassociated parts conform to the standards set by the AmericanAssociation of Railroads.

It is the purpose of the retainer of the present invention to hold thepacking in position without interference with the journal 18, journalbrass 24, or wedge 26 which shift or move during operation.

The retainer illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 is formed of a single pieceof resilient wire which may be of steel, brass, or other resilientmetal, and may be round, square or fiat. This keeper or retainerconsists generally of a front leg 40, a looped rear leg 42 andhorizontal packing coverage portion 44 on one side of the journal 18,and a front leg .46, loop shaped rear leg 48 and packing coveringportion 50 on the other side of the journal 18. A cross piece or brace52 extends under the journal 18 and is preferably out of alignmentwithjthe journal collar 38, and a pair of upwardly extending arms 54 and56 attached to front legs 40 and 46 meet in vertical ends 58 and 60. Thearms 54 and 56 extend upwardly, inwardly and rearwardly and the, ends 58and 60 are received in an aperture 62 in the front of the wedge 26. Therear legs 42 and 48 extend upward and rearwardly and are provided attheir upper ends with rearwardly extending substantially horizontalportions 66 and 68, respectively to leave ample clearance for the fillet36. The length of the horizontal portions 66 and 68 required for safeclearance is not large and it has been found that a length of the orderof three-fourths inch is satisfactory. The horizontal portions 66 and 68engage the shoulder 32 and preferably engage the side walls of the boxand may also engage the top 10. The cross piece 52 extends downward andengages the bottom 12 of the box. The entire keeper is thus held firmlyin position within the box independently of the packing 30 so that itprevents movement of the packing without pressing or compressing thepacking and transmits any forces tending to move the packing to the boxinstead of absorbing them.

The ends 58 and 60 on arms 54 and 56 are substantially vertical andengage in the aperture 62 in the wedge 26. From this point the arms 54and 56 are bent at 70 and extend downwardly and forwardly to a bend 72where they join the vertical front legs 40 and 46. The legs 40 and 46 inturn extend downwardly to a bend 74 which connects them to horizontalrearwardly extending portions 76 and 78. The horizontal portions 76 and78 are provided with inwardly extending V bends 80 and 82 which areconnected to rearwardly rising portions 84 and .86 which connect to theouter legs of the packing covering portions 48 and 50. T heinner legs ofthe packing covering portions 48 and 50 are attached to downwardlyextending portions 88 and 90 which are bent horizontally at their endsand are provided with outwardly extending V bends 92 and 94 whichunderlie the V bends 80 and .82. The forward ends of the V bends 92 and94 are connected by means of clips or clamps 91 and 93 to the forwardends of V bends 80 and 82. Forward of the clips the keeper is bentdownwardly at 96 to join the cross piece 52. The length of thedownwardly extending portions86, 88and 90 are so adjusted that the upperportion 98 of the cross piece clears the underside of the journal 18 andjournal collar 38. I

In inserting this'form of retainer, the rear legs are :first positionedso that the horizontal portions 68 engage these extensions will contactthe top rear and side walls of the box. 'The front arms are then bentdownward and backward until the ends 58 and 60 enter the opening 62 inthe wedge 26. Because of the resilience of the wire, the back legs pressagainst the back of the journal box and the ends 58 and 60 of theupright arm press resiliently against the front of the aperture 62 sothat the keeper is held in place by this resilient engagementirrespective of the "presence or absence of a mass of waste Resilientengagement -with the journal box is also enhanced by the cross piece 52which engages the bottom of the journal box. By 'proportioning the partsso that the front legs press downwardly as well as rearwardly,

' the cross piece 52 acts as a fulcrum urging the rear legs upwardlyagainst the top of the box. Such downward pressure also tends to makethe rear arms swing outwardly away from each other so *that there isresilient engagement with the sides of the box. The retainer is thusheld in position by resilient engagement with the top, bottom, sides'and rear of the journal box and the opening in the bearing wedge.

The downward pressure from the upright legs and the upward pressure fromthe cross piece 52 is taken up by the V-shaped bends and'the solefunction of the clips 91 and 93 is to hold the adjacent portions of wiretogether. Since there is substantially no force tending to separatethese two portions of wire, any stress on the clip is quite small andonly a simple clip is needed. Identical clips may be used on both sides.

The rctainershown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 is also formed of a single pieceof resilient wire which may be ofsteel, brass, or other resilient metal,and may be round, square or flat. This keeper consists generally of afront leg 100, rear leg 102 and' horizontal packing coverage portion-104on one side of the journal 18, and a front leg 106, a rear leg'108andpacking coverage portion 110 on the'other side of the journal 18. Across piece or connection 112 extends over the journal 18, preferablyout of alignment with the journal collar 38, and terminates in ananchoring loop or nib 114. The front legs and 106 extend upwardly andthe nib 114 which is offset from the cross piece 112 by off-set 116, isreceived in the aperture 62 in the wedge 26. The rear legs 102 and 108extend upwardly and may be provided at their upper ends with rearwardlyextending loops 122 and 124 which engage the shoulder 32 formed by therear wall 22. The loop portions 122 and 124 also insure that therearlegs 102 and 108 clear the fillet 36 on the journal 18. 'Thelengthof the horizontal'portion of the loops 122 and 124 isnot large'and ithas been found that a length of the order of three-fourths inch issatisfactory. The upper portions of the loops 122 and 124 engage the top10 and also preferably engage the side walls of the journal box.

The horizontal packing coverage portions 104 and of the retainerterminate on their forward ends in straight horizontal portions 126 and128 which are bent downwardly at 130 and 132and then extend forwardly at134 and 136. The forwardly extending portions 134 and 136 are then bentinwardly at 138 and 140 to form a pair of overlapped loops 142 and 144.The wire forming the lower portions 146 and 148 of the loops 142 and144is bent approximate the points 134 and 136 to form forwardlyextending portions 150 and 152 which support the front legs 100 and 106.The length of the downwardly extending portions 130and 132 is soadjusted that the upper portions "of the loops 142 and 144 clear theunderside of the journal 18 and journal collar 38. It "is to be notedthat the'loops 142 and 144 provide a large area of coverage to preventthe waste from shifting for- 'w-ardly in the box.

Referring to Figure 6 it will be seenthat the two'sides bfthekeepepdivergefromthe front to the rear so that the outer portions of thehorizontal packing coverage portions 104 and 110 will resiliently andsnugly engage the side walls of the box. This resilient engagement withthe side wall provides an additional force to maintain the keeper infixed position in the box.

In inserting the keeper into a journal box, the keeper is normally heldwith the front end raised and the rear end is slid over the top of thewaste 30. a When the rear end of the keeper reaches the rear of the box,the front end is pushed down to engage the nib 114 in the aperture 62 inthe wedge 26 and this at the same time forces the loops 112 and 114 onthe rear legs 102 and 108 upward toward the top of the box. When theretainer is properly inserted the rear legs 102 and 168 resilientlyengage the side walls of the box and the loops 112 and 114 engage theshoulder 32 on the rear wall 22.

When force is applied to the nib 114 and to the lowermost point of loops142 and 144, the loops flex upwardly placing horizontal portions 134 and136 in torsion and rocking the upper ends of the rear legs 102 and 108outwardly against the sides of the box. The loops 142 and 144, by thenature of their shape, are capable of providing a large amount ofresilience and additional resilience is supplied through torsionaltwisting of horizontal portions 134 and 136. In addition, the crosspiece 112 is capable of flexing at the nib 114. The resulting retainerstructure may thus fit tightly into the journal box without danger offatigue failure due to continuous flexing.

In recent years, pads have been developed to replace waste in thelubrication of journals and the retainers of the present invention areas well adapted to hold pads in position as to hold packed waste. Oneparticularly excellent lubricating pad is described and claimed inapplication Serial No. 428,040 filed May 6, 1954 by John T. Hagy, nowPatent No. 2,713,524. While the retainers shown in Figures 1 to 6 areadapted to hold this pad in position, by modifying the retainer as shownin Figure 7, the retainer serves as an inserting tool as well as a retainer.

The pad 154 is rectangular in shape and is so constructed as to conveylubricant to the journal 18. The pad 154 is enclosed in a bag or coverand is provided on each side with a pocket 156. The retainer shown inFigure 7 is substantially identical with the retainer shown in Figures 3to 6 except that a horizontal leg 158 extends straight back from thelower loop portion 148 on the side of the pad 154. At its rear end, theleg 158 is provided with a loop 160 which engages in the pocket 156 tohold the pad in position. The construction of the other side of theretainer is substantially identical.

In inserting the pad, the loops of the horizontal legs are inserted inthe pockets of the pad and the loops 142 and 144 cover the front face ofthe pad. The rear edge of the pad is inserted under the journal collar38 and by pushing the retainer, the pad is forced into position underthe journal. The nib 54 is then inserted in the opening 60 and the padis locked in position.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and 'not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

l. A packing keeper for waste packed railway journal boxes, comprising aunitary resilient member having four upwardly extending legs, a firsttwo of said legs including upper ends for engaging the upper rearcorners of the journal box on two sides of the journal, the other two ofsaid legs being joined by a cross brace having a single upper protrusionfor anchoring said two legs in 6 the upper portion of the journal box,said protrusion and said upper ends forming a three point suspension forsuspending the keeper in the upper portion of the journal box, a pair ofhorizontally extending packing engaging portions attached to said firsttwo legs for overlying the packing on both sides of'the journal, and apair of resilient loop portions connecting said other two legs and saidpacking engaging portions, one loop comprising a first bight connectedto one of said other two legs and to the packing engaging portionadjacent to said one leg, the other loop comprising a second bightconnected to the other of said other two legs and to the packingengaging portion adjacent to said other leg, said loops extending belowsaid horizontally extending packing engaging portions for engaging thefloor of the journal box.

2. A packing keeper as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper endscomprise loops lying in substantially vertical planes.

3. A packing keeper for waste packed railway journal boxes, comprising aunitary resilient member having four upwardly extending legs, a firsttwo of said legs including upper ends for engaging the roof and back ofthe journal box on two sides of the journal, the other two of said legsbeing joined by a cross brace having a single upper protrusion foranchoring said two legs in the upper portion of the journal box, a pairof horizontally extending packing engaging portions attached to saidfirst two legs for overlying the packing on both sides of the journal,and a pair of resilient loop portions having overlapping bightsconnecting said other two legs and said packing engaging portions, oneloop comprising a first bight connected to one of said other twolegs'and to the packing engaging portion adjacent to said. one leg, theother loop comprising a second bight connected to the other of saidother two legs and to the packing engaging portion adjacent to saidother leg, said loops extending below said horizontally extendingpacking engaging portions for engaging the floor of the journal box.

4. A packing keeper for waste packed railway journal boxes, comprising aunitary resilient member having four upwardly extending legs, a firsttwo of said legs including upper ends for engaging the roof and back ofthe journal box on two sides of the journal, the other two of said legsbeing joined by a cross brace having a single upper protrusion foranchoring said two legs in the upper portion of the journal box, a pairof horizontally extending packing engaging portions attached to saidfirst two legs for overlying the packing on both sides of the journal,and a pair of resilient loop portions having overlapping bights lying injuxtaposed substantially vertical planes and connecting said other twolegs and said packing engaging portions, one loop comprising a firstbight connected to one of said other two legs and to the packingengaging portion adjacent to said one leg, the other loop comprising asecond bight connected to the other of said other two legs and to thepacking engaging portion adjacent to said other leg, said loopsextending below said horizontally extending packing engaging portionsfor engaging the floor of the journal box.

5; A packing keeper for waste packed railway journal boxes, comprising aunitary resilient member having four upwardly extending legs, a firsttwo of said legs including upper ends for engaging the roof and back ofthe journal box on two sides of the journal, the other two of said legsbeing joined by a cross brace having a single upper protrusion foranchoring said two legs in the upper portion of the journal box, apair'of horizontally extending packing engaging portions attached tosaid first two legs for overlying the packing on both sides of thejournal, and a pair of resilient loop portions connecting saidother twolegs and said packing engaging portions, said loop portions havingoverlapping bights lying in juxtaposed substantially vertical planes,the lowermost portions of said bights being arranged proximate oneanother for contact with the lower wall of the journal box, one loopcomnected to the. other of said other two legs and to the:packingengaging portion adjacent to said other leg, said -loopsextending below said horizontally extending packing engaging portionsfor engaging the fioor of the journal box.

6. .A packing keeper for waste packed railway journal boxes; comprisinga unitary resilient member having four upwardly extending legs, a firsttwo of said legs including upper ends for engaging the roof and back ofthe journal .box on two sides of the journal, the other two of said legsbeing joined by a cross brace having a single upper protrusion foranchoring said two legs in the upper portion of the journal box, a pairof horizontally extending .packing engaging portions attached to saidfirst two legs for overlying the packing on both sides of the journal,and a pair of resilient loop portions attached at one end to said-othertwo legs and at the other end to upwardly rising oif-sets carried bysaid packing engaging portions, one loop comprising a first bightconnected to one of said other two legs and to the packing engagingportion adjacent to said one leg, the other loop comprising a secondbight connected to the other of said other two legs and to the packingengaging portion adjacent to said other leg, said loops extending belowsaid horizontally extending packing engaging portions for engaging thefloor of the journal box.

7. A packing keeper for waste packed railway journal 'boxes, comprisinga unitary resilient member having four upwardly extending legs, a firsttwo of said legs including upper ends for engaging the roof and back ofthe journal .box on two sides of the journal, the other two of said legsbeing joined by a cross brace having a single upper protrusion foranchoring said two legs in the upper portion of the journal box, a pairof horizontally extending packing engaging portions attached to saidfirst two legs .for overlying the packing on both sides ofthe journal,and a pair of resilient loop portions attached at one end "to said othertwo legs and at the other end to upwardly rising off-sets carried bysaid packing engaging portions, said loop portions having overlappingbights whose lowermost portions are arranged proximate each other forsubstantially single point suspension of the keeper on the journal boxfloor, one loop comprising a first bight con- *nected to one of saidother two legs and to the packing engaging portion adjacent to said oneleg, the other loop comprising a second bight connected to the other ofsaid other two legs and to the packing engaging portion adjacent to saidother leg, said loops extending below said horizontally extendingpacking engaging portions for .engaging the floor of the journal box.

8. A packing keeper for waste packed railway journal boxes, comprising aunitary resilient member having four upwardly extending legs, a firsttwo of said legs including upper ends for engaging the upper rearcorners. of the journal box on two sides of the journal, the other twoof said legs being joined by across brace having a single upperprotrusion for anchoring said two legs in the upper portion of thejournal box, a pair of horizontally extending packing engaging portionsattached to said first two legs for overlying the packing on both sidesof the journal, and a pair of resilient loop portions connecting saidother two legs and said packing engaging portions, said loop portionshaving overlapping bights whose lowermost portions are arrangedproximate each other for substantially :single point suspension of thekeeper on the journal box floor, said, protrusion and said upper endsforming a three point suspension of the keeper in the u'pperportion ofthe journal box, one loop comprising a first bight connected to one ofsaid other two legs and to the packing engaging portion adjacent to saidone leg, the other loop comprising a second bight connected 'to theother of said other two legs and to the packing engaging portionadjacent to said other leg, said loops extending below said horizontallyextending packing engaging portions for engaging the floor of thejournal box.

9. A packing keeper for railway journal boxes comprising a pair ofspaced, upwardly extending front legs, a cross brace connecting the topsof said legs, a protrusion on said cross brace for anchoring said legsin the ,box, a pair of substantially horizontal packing retainingportions disposed for placement on each side of the journal in the box,and a pair of resilient loops extending downwardly and inwardly so as tobe disposable beneath a journal in the box, each loop being separatefrom each other loop and connecting a leg to the corresponding adjacenthorizontal portion and being disposed for covering the front of packinglocated beneath the journal in the box.

10. A packing keeper for waste packed railway journal boxes, comprisinga resilient member having four upwardly extending legs, a first two ofsaid legs including upper ends for engaging the roof of the journal boxon twosides of the journal, the other two of said legs meeting andterminating in upwardly extending ends for anchoring said two legsin'the upper portion of the journal box, said upper ends and saidnesting and inwardly extending ends forming a three point suspension forsuspending the keeper in the upper portion of the journal box a pair ofhorizontally extending packing engaging portions each consisting of twosubstantially parallel legs connected to said first two legs, one ofsaid legs of each keeper being formed of resilient wire and having apair of connected horizontal packing coverage portions each of which hasa front and rear upwardly extending leg, said rear legs having freeupper ends, said front legs terminating in juxtaposition to one another,said free upper ends and said juxtaposed ends forming a three pointsuspension for suspending the keeper in the upper portion of the journalbox, a downwardly extending cross piece attached to said packingcoverage portions proximate the attachment of said front legs by meansof offset portions which underlie oppositely offset portions of saidpacking coverage portions, and clips maintaining said overlying portionsin position.

" References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,460,031 Ripley Jan. 25, 1949 2,503,122 Morris Apr. 4, 1950 2,631,903Morris Mar. 17, 1953 2,747,946 Brunner May 29, 1956

